Tag Archives: PBX

3CX is pleased to announce the release of Service Pack 2, build 27588.780 for 3CX Phone System 11. This service pack fixes several issues and also adds new features such as support for Windows 8, Windows Server 2012, and an all new IP Whitelist for the Anti-Hacking module. To download this update, simply login to the 3CX Windows Management Console from Start, All Programs, 3CX Phone System, Windows Management Console and navigate to the 3CX Phone System Updates node > 3CX Service Packs / Updates.

Note: Users running previous Beta versions of 3CX Phone System Version 11 should not update to service pack 1 via the service pack update. For versions prior to build 26364.600, a full uninstall and re-install is required.

New Features

New: Added support for Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012. Previous releases of 3CX Phone System are unsupported on Windows 8 / Server 2012, and thus a new installation of SP2 is required on these OS.

New: Blacklist is checked for WEB requests. When someone tries to connect to the web 3CX Management Console, 3CX MyPhone or provision a phone from a blacklisted IP, the request will be blocked, and the administrator is notified (if notifications are enabled).

New: Added support for the latest Cisco SPA 514G and 525G2 phones with the latest firmware. Please note, phones running firmware 7.4.9b need to be updated to version 7.5.2b before being upgraded to version 7.5.3. This applies to all Cisco phones.

New: SNOM can now be configured using Plug and Play. SNOM is now supported from the firmware version 8.7.3.15.

3CX MyPhone

Update: The Active Calls section in 3CX MyPhone has been redesigned. Users can only see their own calls by default. If allowed, they can see the calls to users in their group. The management group still sees everything.

Update: Conference calendar request (.ics) notifications are now sent even when the email server requires authentication.

Update: Dashes and () are stripped when an external conference number is added to the conference.

Fixed: A bug in 3CX MyPhone when adding callers which are on hold to a conference.

Fixed: The audio issues when creating conferences in 3CX MyPhone have been fixed.

Fixed: The bug which caused the Microsoft Outlook plugin to not create journal entries for incoming calls

Fixed: The organizer’s email address is now stored correctly when scheduling conference calls.

Fixed: The organizer of a conference is now informed when a user has accepted or declined the conference invitation and details are correctly retrieved from the calendar.

Fixed: When changing the language to Portuguese, 3CX MyPhone now loads in Portuguese.

3CX Phone System Server

Update: 3CX Phone System User Agent string now contains the version number.

Update: Added G729 Support for Patton Gateway Templates BRI devices which has fixed the audio issues.

Fixed: Crash in the Server Activity Log when logs are viewed in Google Chrome.

Fixed: There will no longer be any blank pages within the Server Activity Log.

Fixed: Log files were not being moved to backup folder and remained in the Logs folder. As a result this made the 3CX Management Console very slow and affected also the general performance of the computer.

Update: The 3CX Server Activity Log now shows INVITE and RE-INVITE SIP messages. These can be seen when Verbose is enabled.

Add another acronym to the long list of techno-terms business owners are expected to throw around confidently. VoIP, or Voice Over Internet Protocol, is the next big thing in office phone systems, and many small businesses are wondering if they should make the switch — leaving behind their standard phone network in favor of Internet calling.

The answer? It depends on the size of your business, what you do and how you work.

VoIP phones aren’t exactly new — even Oprah has been using Skype to chat with guests from around the world — but their initial quality wasn’t clear or consistent enough for business use. The technology has leaped ahead in recent years, though, and VoIP now is a booming segment of the telecommunications industry. According to consulting and market research firm Frost & Sullivan, the VoIP market gained 40% more users and saw revenue rise 22% last year. About 25% of small to medium-sized businesses (up to 500 employees) have transitioned to Internet phone services.

In large part, that’s because sound quality has improved. Telephones are also increasingly seen as part of a company’s larger communications strategy. When the phone service is part of the office network, spoken conversations can be easily integrated with applications such as Web conferences.

“Information technology is becoming part of a company’s competitive advantage,” Frost & Sullivan analyst Vanessa Alvarez says. “A lot of small companies are trying to leverage different technologies and tools to extend their reach. You can use these platforms to enhance communication with your partners and customers.”

VoIP can also boost customer service. Wireless IP phones allow warehouse workers to quickly check if an item is in stock and transmit that information instantly to a sales representative in another location. If you run a retail website, you can add an instant chat option for customers who have questions while browsing.

If you decide to make the change to VoIP, make sure you choose a provider that understands your specific needs. “The small- and medium-sized business market has always been coveted by the larger players in the telecom industry, but they’ve never been able to capture it,” Alvarez says. “They’ve been stripping down a large enterprise solution and selling it as a small-business solution, but you need a different mentality to sell to small business.”

If, like most small businesses, you don’t have a dedicated IT department, you’ll want to make sure that whatever company you contract with has a local service rep who is available for troubleshooting as necessary. Kiwi VoIP is a company that can fill that gap. Also, the provider should check your network capacity and upgrade it if necessary to accommodate voice service. One advantage of VoIP systems is that users can be easily added or deleted, but make sure you’re given adequate training how to do so.

Switching systems won’t make sense for every business. If most of your communication takes place between employees in one office, Internet phones won’t reduce your expenses or make your company any more efficient. Integrated communication solutions may be the hot trend, but old-fashioned, in-person conversations can be just as effective.